Union workers at Hudson hospital agree to negotiate instead of strike

Unionized workers at Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson have agreed to return to negotiations with management in an attempt to avoid a strike.

The 620 workers, members of Local 1199 of the Service Employees International Union, have been working without a contract since Dec. 31. On June 2, the hospital's administrators declared an impasse and said they would put their proposed contract into effect. The union responded by filing an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board.

The union then held a strike vote, and on June 19 announced that members had agreed to send the hospital a 10-day strike notice.

On June 21, the union issued a brief statement saying it had been informed by Ray Jones, vice president of human resources for Columbia Memorial, that a Federal Mediator has asked the hospital to resume negotiations beginning June 28.

"The union has agreed to this process and has told the mediator that the negotiating committee will be prepared to further modify and change our proposals to resolve this issue without a strike," the statement said.